Nanostructured Polylactic Acid/Candeia Essential Oil Mats Obtained by Electrospinning

This work aims to evaluate the effect of inclusion of different contents of candeia (Eremanthus erythropappus) essential oil (whose alpha-bisabolol is the main terpene) on the properties of polylactic acid (PLA) nanostructured mats and their relationship with fiber morphology and structure. The interaction occurring between the PLA and the candeia essential oil was confirmed by thermal and microscopy analysis. Addition of candeia essential oil increased nanofiber diameter and decreased the glass transition and melting temperatures of the nanofibers, suggesting lower energy input for processing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images provided evidence of a homogeneous structure for the nanostructured mats. X-ray diffraction did not show differences in the crystallization of the nanofibers. This ongoing research confirms the possibility of incorporation of candeia essential oil in the production of nanofibers that will be studied for multipurpose applications.